Head bar organization for venetian blinds



Nov. 26, 1940. H. K. LoRr-:NTZEN HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed March 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,w1/M1335 mi; AITORNEXS.

Nov. 26, 1940.

H. K. LORENTZEN HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION FOR VENETIAN BLINDS` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1956 INVENTOR fanslvLoremzelv BY www, +115;

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Patented Nov. 26,1940

UNITED STATES HEAD BAR ORGANIZATION FOB VENETIAN BLINDS Hans K. Lorentzen, Montclair, N. J., assigner to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., New York,

N. Y., a'corporation of New York e Application March 11, 193s, serial No. 63,177

7 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to Venetian blinds, and particularly to a structure for supporting and actuating the blind.

vA Venetian blind consists essentially of a plurality of slats which are suspended in superimposed relationship and are connected with mechanism for tilting the slats and raising and lowering the same. The usual practice is to suspend the assembly of slats from a wooden head-bar l `that is cut to length for the particular window to which the blind is to be fitted. This head-bar is channelled to receive operating cords, and tothe head-bar are tted individual mechanical velements for supporting and manipulating the as- 16 sembly of slats. 'This cutting and outtting of the head-bar has to be done by the maker of the blind, without the advantages and economies which can be eiiected by factory quantity'production.

20 An object of the invention is to provide a fabricated head-bar for Venetian blinds, which is expansible in length to adapt it for windows of diierent widths.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fabricated sheet metal head-bar organization which includes improved and convenient means for mounting the head-bar itself.

Other objects of the invention will be obvious from the following disclosure of two speciiic em- 80 bodiments of the invention. f

Figure I is a view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section. The view shows the left-hand portion of the supporting and actuating mechanism mounted on a window frame.

85 Figure II is a bottom plan view, with parts broken away, showing the structure illustrated in Figure I. l

Figure III is a vertical section taken in general on the line III-III of Figure I. v

Figure IV is a vertical section taken approximately on the line IV-IV of Figure I.

Figure V is a vertical section taken approximately on the line V- V of Figure I.

Figure VI is a view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section. The view shows the right hand portion of a modified form of the invention.

Figure VII is a bottom plan view, with parts broken away, showing the structure illustrated in Figure VI.

Figure VIII is a vertical section taken approximately on the line VIII-VIII of Figure VI.

The illustrated structure comprises an expansible head-bar that is supported by brackets which are mounted on the opposite sides of a window frame. One end of the head-bar carries a device for tilting the blind and the other end carries a cord lock. Except for these two different fittings on the two-ends, the structure is symmetrical about its mid section. In order that the drawings might be made on an adequate scale, only one half (approximately) of the structure is shown for each of the two forms of the invention; and it will be understood that the missing half of the symmetrical structure is the same as 1 the half shown except that it is of opposite hand. 'Ihe tilting mechanism and cordv lock .are the same -in the two forms of the invention; and the left half of the structure is shown.`for the first form of the invention (Fig. I) to include the tilt- 15 Figs. I Through V The head-bar, designated as a whole by l, has a. center section 2 which is at and somewhat tube-like in form. This section 2 may be made from a strip of heavy sheet metal by folding edge portions 2a back upon the strip so that the edge portions are parallel to and spaced from the body of the strip, as 1S well shown in Fig. V. Telescoped in` each end of the center section 2, is a sheet metal end section, designated as a whole by 4. End section 4 has edge portions .la which $0 make a sliding iit with the center section 2, and has a depressed center portion 4b.

Slidably positioned between center section 2 and end section 4 is an intermediate section, designated as a Whole by 5. The inner end of section 5 is depressed at t',a and this depressed portion is provided with a pivot 5b for two locking legs 5C,5. Also pivoted to depress portion 5B is a slow rise double cam 5d which may be actuated by lever'5e, to force legs 5c into holding engagement with the inside yedges of center section 2. A double grooved pulley 5f is journalled on L- lshaped support V5&5?. These supports pass upwardly throughna slot 4c in'end section 4, then through a rectangular hole 5l1 in section 5, and 45 are permanently secured to the top of section 5, as by being welded thereto. To permit assemblyy of the parts with the pulley attached to section 5, slot 4 may be enlarged at 4d. Pivot`ed to section 5 is a slow rise cam 5i which may be manipulated by lever 5J to make holding engagement with thel edge of slot 4..

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the head-bar I is expansible lengthwise to adapt it for windows of diilerent width. 55

By moving lever l clockwise (viewed as in Fig. II), the legs 5 are released. and end section l and intermediate section 5 may then be moved as a unit in telescopic relation with center section 2. By moving lever 55 eounterclockwise (viewed as in Fig. 1I) the hold of cam il is released, and end section I may then be moved alone in telescopic relation with center section 2 and intermediate section 5. This last adjustment makesl it possible to position pulley 5 at diil'erent distances from the end of the head-bar. Once the desired adjustment has been effected, the levers 5 and 5! are manipulated to clamp the various sections in their adjusted position.

Attached to the left hand end of section 4 is blind tilting mechanism, designated as a whole by 6. This tilting mechanism may be of any suitable type, but the mechanism illustrated will now be described briefly. A loop 6` is adapted to guide an operating cord (not shown) over a pulley 6b, which rotates a shaft 6. Shaft 5 is provided with a single convolution worm 6, which actuates a pivoted gear sector 6. Amxed to gear sector 6 is a U-shaped stamping Bf, having a slot 6 to removably receive a iitting on one end of the tilt bar of the blind (not shown). Thus, rotation of pulley '6b tilts member Bf on an axis parallel to the head-bar I. For a more complete description of the tilting mechanism 6, see my Patent 2,110,710 issued March 8, 1938.

A sheet metal bracket, designated as a whole by 1, has two perpendicular faces 1 and 1".

Both of these faces are provided with screw holesI and either face may be used for mounting the bracket. When the bracket is mounted inside of a window frame, as shown in Fig. I, mounting screws S are inserted through bracket face 1. When the bracket is mounted on the front of a window frame, the screws are inserted through the holes in face 1b.

Near the top of the bracket, the metal of face 1 is folded laterally and back on itself, as shown in Fig. I, to form a horizontal channel 1; and then the metal is continued upwardly at 1d.k A latch 1 (Figs. III and I) is pivoted to bracket portion 1d: and the pivot is so placed that the weight of the latch biases it downwardly as shown in Fig. III. The top and bottom sheet metal portions which form channel 1 are rectangularly pierced at 1f, 1f; and latch 1 has a nose 1 which normally rests in this rectangular aperture.

Integral with, or ailixed to, the end of headbar section 4 is a depending portion 5 (see Fig. I) which carries a horizontal portion 4f. Horizontal portion 4f is recessed at 4 (Figs. II and III) in registration with bracket apertures 1f. With brackets 1 fastened in place on each side of the window and head-bar I adjusted to the correct length, the head bar is mounted by simply inserting portions 4' into channels 1. The entering end of bar portion 4f elevates latch nose 1; and when the head-bar is in place, latch nose 1 automatically drops to the position shown in Fig. III and secures the head-bar in place. However by depressing thumb piece 1h, the latch is released and the head-bar can be readily removed.

Figs. VI through VIII The structure is generally similar to the first form of the invention, but the telescoping headbar has no intermediate sliding sections and the elevating pulleys are at fixed distances from the ends of the bar.

The head-bar, designated as a whole by II, includes a center section I2 which has inturned edges I2' and is the same as section 2 in the first form of the invention. Telescoped in each end of the center section I2, is a sheet metal end section, designated as a whole by I4. End section I4 has edge portions I4* which make a sliding fit with the center section I2, and has a depressed center portion Ill. At the inner end of section Il, the edge portions Il* are removed and a locking member I4 is provided'. Locking member I4 is pivoted at I4d to section I4 and is provided with cam shaped locking shoes Il', I l. Also pivoted to section I4 is a cam I4t which may be moved by lever Ill to oscillate locking member |4 on its pivot Md. When lever Il' is moved in the direction of the arrow, shoes |4 are forced into locking engagement with center section I2, thereby maintaining the head-bar at its adjusted length.

Riveted or otherwise secured to the under side of section I4 are L-shaped brackets Ilh, |411 on which is mounted a double elevating pulley Ill. Attached to telescoping section Il near its outer end is a cord lock, designated as a whole by I 8. This cord lock may be of any suitable type, but the one shown will now be described briefly.

A sheet metal shell I8 houses a pivoted dog I8b which has a depending serrated nose I8. In an installed blind, the elevating cord passes downwardly through shell |8; and when the cord is swung to the left, it engages nose I8. Then upward movement of the cord carries the dog I8b upward, and the free end of the dog wedges the cord against recess Id in shell Il. The shell I 8 is attached to and supported by a depending member I 8 which also is adapted to support one end of the tilt bar of the blind (not shown). The end of the tilt bar has a projecting pin which is moved sidewise into a suitable slot provided in member |8. This slot runs from front to back and has a downwardly inclined entrance, the mouth of which appears at I8f. A lever I8g is pivoted at I8h and has a thumb piece |81; and the opposite end I8j of the lever is arranged so that it may be moved across the mouth I8t of the slot to prevent accidental removal of the tilt-bar pin from the slot. A. more complete description of this cord lock element I8 is given in my Patent 2,075,214, dated March 30, 1937.

The outer end of head-bar section I4 is pro. vided with a member that interiits with a supporting bracket I1. This end of the head-bar and the bracket I1 are respectively identical with the bar end and bracket 1 in Figs. I, II and IlI. except that the construction shown in Figs. I to HI is left hand, while the construction shown in Figs. VI and VII is right-hand. Accordingly, de tailed description of this construction is omitted to avoid unnecessary repetition.

The head-bar may be fabricated and assembled at the factory on a quantity production basis. The installer of the blind secures to the window frame a pair of brackets such as bracket 1. Then, after adjusting the head bar to proper length, he inserts the head-bar into the brackets, and inserts the tilt bar of the slat assembly into the slots at BY (Fig. I) and I8t (Fig. II). Cords C and C4 (Figs. VI and I) for elevating the blind are passed over the elevating pulleys and threaded through the cord lock, as is well understood in the art. A cord is also supplied to pulley 6b for tilting the blind. While the structure has been described as having the -tilting mechanism on the left side and the cord lock on the right side, it will be obvious that their positions may be interchanged. When the head-bar is mounted inside of a window frame, additional supporting screws may, if desired be inserted through holes P (Figs. lI and. VII).

In compliance with the patent statutes, I have disclosed the best forms in which I have contemplated applying my invention, but it will be understood that the disclosed forms are merely specific illustrative embodiments which do not limit the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a Venetian blind, a sheet metal supporting bracket having an elongated horizontal channel which extends perpendicular to the plane of the window and faces away from the center of the window. and a head-bar having U-shaped sheet metal end to enter the channel for support of the head-bar by the bracket.

2. In a Venetian blind, a sheet metal supporting bracket having an elongated horizontal channel which extends perpendicular to the plane of the window and faces away from the center of the window, the upper branch of the channel having an opening therein, and the bracket having a latch which enters said opening; and a head-bar having a U-shaped sheet metal end to enter the channel for support of the head-bar by the bracket, said metal end having a formation to receive said latch whereby the head-bar is menedtuthebracket.

3. 'm a- Venetian blind, a sheet-metal support-V4 ingbrackethavlng an elongated horizontal chan-- nel whichextends perependicular to the plane-of thewindow, thetopsideofthechannel havinga cut-away portion, and the bracket having a piv- 1- oted latch positioned above the channel and pro-'- `vided with a-locklngend entering said 'cut-away" portlon'ot the channel; and a head-bar having aj sheet metal end'to enter the channel vfor support of the head-bar by the bracket, said metal endv havhigaiormationtorecelveslidiatchwhereby thehead-barislatchedtothebracket.

4. In a Venetian blind, a sheet metal supporting bracket having an elongated horizontal channel which extends perpendicular to the plane of the window, the top side of the channel having a cut-away portion, -and the bracket having a downwardly biased latch positioned above the channel and provided with a locking nose removably entering said cut-away .portion of the channel; and a head-bar having-a sheet metal end to enter the channel for support of the head-bar by the bracket, said metal end having a formation to receive said latch nose whereby the head-bar is latched to the bracket.

5. In a Venetian blind, a sheet metal supporting bracket having a vertical leg from which metal is folded and forms an elongated horizontal channel which extends perpendicular to the plane of the window and faces away from the center of the window, and a head-bar having a U-shaped sheet metal end to enter the channel for support of the head-bar by the bracket.

6. An extensible Venetian blind head-bar comprising: an elongated sheet metal section having inturned longitudinal edges, a second elongated sheet metal section telescoped vwithin the rst section, shiftable locking means carried by said,

second section, and means to shift said locking means into engagement with the edges of the rst section to thereby lock thetwosections in adjusted telescopic relation. a

'1. An extensible Venetian blind head-bar com- Y prising: an elongated sheet metal section having a body portion and side portions, a second elongated sheet metal sectionitelescoped withinthe first section, rockable lockingmeans" carried' 'by said second section, and means torock said locking means into engagement with at least one of Said side Sections adjusted telescopic relation. 

